Detachable hose with knitted fabric loops

ABSTRACT

A STOCKING AND USUALLY THE WELT OF THE STOCKING IS PROVIDED WITH INTEGRAL, KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS BY WHICH THE STOCKINGS ARE ATTACHED TO A PANTY, GIRDLE OR OTHER SUPPORT GARMENT BY A FASTENER OF SMALL AND THIN DIMENSIONS. THE LOOPS ARE FORMED BY FLOAT STITCHING WHEREIN A NUMBER OF SELECTED NEEDLES ARE PULLED DOWN TO SKINKER LEVEL, WHERE THEY DO NOT TAKE ANY YARN, KEPT THERE FOR A SELECTED NUMBER OF COURSES AND THEN PLACED BACK IN ACTION WITH THE NEEDLES AGAIN TAKING YARN. THE NEEDLES PULLED DOWN TO THE SINKER LEVEL TO EFFECT THE FORMATION OF THE LOOPS, CAN BE NEEDLES WHICH KNIT THE WALES IN WHICH THE LOOPS ARE FORMED, THE NEEDLES WHICH KNIT THE WALES INTERMEDIATE THE LOOPS OR VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF THESE TWO SETS OF NEEDLES WITH THE YARN BEING ALTERNATELY FLOATED FOR SELECTED COURSES BEHIND EACH SET OF NEEDLES WHILE THE OTHER SET OF NEEDLES IS KNITTING TO THEREBY FORM THE INTEGRAL KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS

Sept. 20, 1971 BURLESQN 3,605,451

DETACHABLE HOSE WITH KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS Filed March 21, 1969 '6 Sheets-Sheet 1 //V Vin/70H fl/m'o/v B084 5504 Sept. 20, 1971 BURLESQN 3,605,451

DETACHABLE HOSE WITH KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS Filed March 21, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I mvsmon ATIOR NEYS Sept. 20, 1971 BURLESQN 7 3,605,451

DETACHABLE HOSE WITH KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS Filed March 21, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 420 15 My 55' 0/1/ 2LJMJ A. BBBBBB ON 3,605,451

E WlTH KNITTED FABRIC LO Filed March 21, 1969 M W vj gvj gw q m x 1 v v A t BY a "g'wfll zu m L ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1971 BURLESQN 3,605,451

DETACHABLE HOSE WITH KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS Filed March 21, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ZtZ/ ZfZO 'I Z 422 K 422 422, 422 4 INVENTOR flwo/v B05; 55 ON ATTORNEYS yww Jag/MM United States Patent O1 3,605,451 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 Elite 3,605,451 DETACHABLE HOSE WITH KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS Aaron Burleson, Burlington, N.C., assignor to Burlington Industries, Inc., Greensboro, N.C. Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 742,082, July 2, 1968. This application Mar. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 809,354

Int. Cl. D04b 9/54 US. Cl. 66-172 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stocking and usually the welt of the stocking is provided with integral, knitted fabric loops by which the stockings are attached to a panty, girdle or other support garment by a fastener of small and thin dimensions. The loops are formed by float stitching wherein a number of selected needles are pulled down to sinker level, where they do not take any yarn, kept there for a selected number of courses and then placed back in action with the needles again taking yarn. The needles pulled down to the sinker level to effect the formation of the loops, can be needles which knit the wales in which the loops are formed, the needles which knit the wales intermediate the loops or various combinations of these two sets of needles with the yarn being alternately floated for selected courses behind each set of needles while the other set of needles is knitting to thereby form the integral knitted fabric loops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to hosiery and, more specifically, to stockings having integral, knitted fabric loops for attaching the stockings to a panty or girdle garment. This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 742,082, filed July 2, 1968 and entitled Detachable Hose With Knitted Fabric Loops.

Girdles, girdle fasteners and garters for hose support are commonly used and are very satisfactory in many instances. A problem has occurred, however, in that skirts have become shorter, dresses tighter, and tight fitting pants, slacks and the like have become more desirable in womens wear. Hence, large bulky fasteners to join hose to girdles have become undesirable. One solution to the problem has been the advent of seamless panty hose but these are objectionably expensive in some instances since damage to the hose, for example, by a run will result in loss of the entire panty hose.

Another problem has been created with skirts becoming shorter since of necessity, stocking legs had to be made longer and girdles shorter. Very frequently, stocking welts have gotten much shorter and fragile to some degree with the higher hemlines or shorter skirt styles. It has, therefore, been necessary to develop a stocking that would fasten to a short girdle or similar garment without creating bulk in the fastening means while at the same time having a sufficiently close connection between the hOse and the girdle or like garment to prevent flesh from showing.

A number of approaches have been suggested to solve this problem. A first approach has been to sew the stocking direct to the girdle. This is of course very expensive when a stocking runs because the total garment is a loss.

A second approach has been to sew the stocking to the girdle or like garment with the use of a pull thread to permit raveling off of the stocking from the girdle when the stocking is damaged, as by running. However, this is unsatisfactory since there is no easy way to sew a new pair of stockings on to the girdle or panty garment.

A third approach involved the sewing of a piece of lace or fish-net type material on to the top of stockings. Hooks are provided on the bottom of the girdle for hooking into the face or fish-net portion.

Still another approach utilizes a snap tab type metal fastener of the type used with mens shorts. Because the stocking welt is extremely fragile, the fastener has to be secured to a piece of elastic which, is turn, is sewed to the top of the stocking. This could be joined with a mating member on the bottom of the girdle or like garment.

Another approach has been to sew elastic on to the top of a stocking with integral button holes provided in the elastic. The stocking could then be buttoned or fastened to the girdle with buttons provided on the girdle.

Other more complicated and less desirable approaches have involved folding stocking tops over elastic portions and the like. Hence, there is an important need for the present development which solves the problems of the prior art and costs essentially nothing to knit, especially when compared to the sew on, heat applied or similar fastening devices of the prior art.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a stocking welt which is provided with sets of integral knitted fabric loops for attaching the stocking to thin fasteners which, in turn, are attached to a panty or girdle garment. Preferably, the knitted loops are formed in the welt by float stitching wherein selected groups or sets of needles are pulled down to sinker level with the yarn floating behind the pulled down needles without being taken by the pulled down needles while the yarn is knitted by the needles intermediate the sets of pulled down needles. The selected groups of needles are kept at the sinker level for a predetermined number of courses and then placed back in action with the needles again taking yarn. This has the effect of shortening the fabric in the wales where the needles have been pulled down as compared to the wales of the adjoining fabric where the needles have not been pulled down and the yarn floated thereby forming the raised loops in the welt.

In one embodiment, the needles pulled down to the sinker level to effect the formation of the integral knitted fabric loops are the needles which knit the wales in which the loops are formed whereby the loops are formed by a fabric bridge which extends between folds or tucks in the welt formed by the pull of the relatively shorter fabric bridge on the fabric of the wales adjacent the bridge. In another embodiment, the needles pulled down to the sinker level to effect the formation of the integral knitted fabric loops are the needles which knit the wales intermediate the wales in which the loops are formed whereby the fabric in the wales where the loops are formed is relatively longer than the fabric of the Wales intermediate the loops. Other embodiments utilize various combinations of these two sets of needles with the yarn being alternately floated for selected courses behind first one set of needles while the other set of needles is knitting and then being floated behind the other set of needles while the first set of needles is knitting.

The above-mentioned objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a hosiery welt formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view of a course formed when a group of selected needles are pulled down during the formation of a welt in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view diagrammatically illustrating a knitted fabric loop of the present invention integrally formed in a welt by floating the yarn behind the needles which form the wales in which the loop is located for a selected number of courses while the needles which form the wales intermediate the loops are in action and knitting;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of a stocking of the present invention illustrating the knitted fabric loops with one of many fasteners which can be utilized to attach the hose to a panty, girdle or other garment;

FIG. 5 is a magnified view of an integral knitted fabric loop formed according to the diagrammatic illustration of FIG. 3 with the fabric stretched to better illustrate the knit;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of a stocking diagrammatically illustrating an embodiment wherein the courses just prior to the formation of the loop are formed by alternately floating the yarn behind and then knitting with the set of needles which form the wales in which the loops are located;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view diagrammatically illustrating a knitted fabric loop of the present invention integrally formed in a stocking by floating the yarn behind the needles which form the wales intermediate the wales in which the loops are located for a selected number of courses while the needles which form the wales in which the loops are located are in action and knitting;

FIG. 8 is a magnified view of an integral knitted fabric loop formed according to the diagrammatic illustration of FIG. 7 with the fabric stretched to better illustrate the knit;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of a stocking diagrammatically illustrating a knitted fabric loop of the present invention formed by floating the yarn behind a first set of needles which form the wales intermediate the wales in which the loops are located for a selected number of courses while the set of needles which form the wales in which the loops are located are in action and then placing the first set of needles in action for a selected number of courses while the second set of needles is taken out of action;

FIG. 10 is a magnified view of an integral knitted fabric loop formed according to the diagrammatic illustration of FIG. 9 with the fabric stretched to better illustrate the knit; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of a stocking diagrammatically illustrating a knitted fabric loop of the present invention integrally formed in the stocking by floating the yarn behind the needles which form the wales intermediate the wales in which the loops are located and alternate wales of the wales wherein the loops are located for a selected number of courses while the other needles which form the Wales in which the loops are located are in action and knitting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the figures and, in particular, to FIG. 1, wherein a stocking 10 having a welt 12 embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated. The welt 12 is provided with a plurality of sets 14, 16 (only two of which are shown) of knitted fabric loops 18 integrally formed in the welt of the stocking garment for receiving fastener elements. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the fabric loops 18 in each set are placed at different heights on the welt thereby providing a built-in or integrally knitted-in adjustment means so that adjustments of the stocking can be made for short or long legs. While each set of fabric loops shown comprise a plurality of loops extending diagonally across the welt, it is to be understood that the loops 18 can also be arranged in various other patterns for aesthetic reasons or other purposes. In addition, it is to be understood that any number of fabric loops 18 can be utilized in a set depending on the length of the welt and the length and arrangement of the individual loops in each set.

The knitted fabric loops 18, as shown in FIG. 5 and the enlarged diagrammatic view of FIG. 3, are made up of a portion 20 of fabric in the welt shortened in the wales 22 as compared to Wales 24 of theadjoining fabric in the welt 12. The length of the loop 18 is determined by the difference in the number of knit courses in the Wales 22 of the loop and the wales 24 of the adjoining fabric. Any selected number of knit courses can be left out of wales 22 depending on the length of the loop 18 desired. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 is twenty courses long (extending between course n and n+22) and loops of 16 to 20 courses are typical of those employed. As shown, the yarn of course n+21 is utilized to interconnect course n of the knitted fabric loop 18 with course n+22 of the knitted fabric loop. The effect is to form folds 26 in the welt adjacent each end of the loop that are joined by the fabric loop or bridge I18 which is raised relative to the welt. Behind the fabric loop or bridge 18 are floated portions of yarn 30 which each extend between the loops 32. of wales 24.

The knitted fabric loops of the first embodiment, as well as the other embodiments, can be as many wales in width as desired. However, typically, the width for loops 16 to 20 courses in length has been 8 to 10 wales. Of course, the lengths and widths of the knitted fabric loops set forth in the specification are merely exemplary and in no way are the loops restricted to such dimensions.

The knitted fabric loops of the embodiments of the invention can be formed by float stitching on conventional single or multi-feed circular knitting machines and the like, wherein the cams in the machine are set to drop or pull down a group or groups of selected needles for a selected number of courses during formation of the hose and, in particular, during formation of the welt of a hose. The method of forming the integral knitted fabric loop can best be understood from considering FIGS. 2 and 3 in conjunction with the following paragraphs which set forth the method of forming a knitted fabric loop.

During the knitting of the welt or some other portion of a hose, 9. group of selected needles of a knitting machine (e.g., 8) is pulled down to sinker level and kept there for a selected number of courses. During this period, when the needles are pulled down to sinker level, the needle hooks of the group do not take yarn but the yarn is floated behind these pulled down needles forming courses, such as the one shown in FIG. 2 and those shown in FIG. 3 between courses It and n+21 where a floated portion of yarn 30 is shown extending between loops 32 of wales 24.

After the selected number of courses have been knitted, the group of selected needles are placed back in action whereby a course such as that shown in FIG. 3 (course n+21) is formed having loops or drawstitches 34 extending between and interconnecting the loops of courses It and n+2-2. The knitting of the welt then proceeds in the usual manner with courses having no floated portions being formed such as course n+22.

The portion of fabric 20 formed by interconnecting courses It and n+22' by course n+21 forms the bridge or loop 18 which stretches between folds 26 in the welt adjacent the ends of loop 18. The horizontally-extending floated portions 30 of courses n+1 to n+20 form the section of welt behind the loop 18. Since there are no loose thread ends formed, no raveling of the welt occurs in the area of the loops l18 and a durable loop is produced.

With reference to FIG. 6, a modified form of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 is shown wherein the courses preceding the loop 18 and main drawstitches in wales 122, which correspond to wales 22 of FIG. 3, are knit to effect a more even distribution of the strain across the stitch loops or secondary drawstitches 150 in the loop area. In this embodiment, the courses preceding the loop 18 (in the wales 122 wherein the loop is later formed) are formed by floating the yarn in wales 122 between wales 124 on alternate courses and then knitting the intermediate courses in wales 122 between wales 124 with the stitch loops .150 of the intermediate courses being joined.

While the loop 18, as illustrated, is only four wales across and only preceding courses m3 to m of the fabric are shown, it is to be understood that FIG. 6 is exemplary and that the loop can be any selected number of wales across (e.g. 8 or 10) and that the number of courses preceding the loop 18, which are knit in the manner illustrated in courses m3 to m can be any selected number that is sufficient to tightened the stitch loops 150 in the middle wales 122 relative to the outer wales 122 (the wales adjacent wales 124) to effect the desired load distribution between the middle and outer wales 122.

As discussed above, in connection with the formation of the loop 18 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the needles in the wales 22 or 122 of the loop are taken out of action (e.g. for courses n+1 to n+20 or m+1 to m+20) and the yarn is floated behind these needles for the selected number of courses while the needles which knit the wales 24 or 124 intermediate the loops are maintained in action and continue to knit during the formation of these courses. This shortens the fabric in wales 22 or 122 relative to the other fabric wales 24 or 124 and forms loop 18 in the fabric when the loops 34 of course n+21 joins courses It and n+22 in wales 22 or when the loops or main drawstitches 134 of course m+21 joins courses m and m +22 in wales 122. However, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 3, wherein the courses before and after the loop 18 are formed with a conventional jersey knit, in the embodiment of FIG. 6 the needles in wales i122 are taken out of action for alternate courses such as courses m3, mll and the yarn is floated behind these needles and then these needles are put back in action for the intermediate courses such as courses m2, m joining the alternate courses with conventional jersey stitch loops 150. This shortens the fabric in wales 122 for the courses utilizing this knit relative to the other wales 124 of the fabric which continue with the regular jersey stitch for all of the corresponding courses. The knit illustrated in courses m3 to m is continued for the desired number of courses until the difference in the fabric length between the areas of wales 122 and 124 is suflicient to tighten the knitted stitches 150 formed by the center needles in the wales 122 so that when a hook is inserted through the loop, the load will be more evenly distributed across the middle and outer stitches 150 of wales 122. As pointed out above, the alternate floating and knitting with the needles which form wales 122 is completed before the loop area (courses m to m+22) is started.

Turning now to the modification illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the procedure for forming the fabric loops set forth in FIGS. 3 and 5 is reversed to provide additional courses in the wales 222, where the knitted fabric loop 218- is located, relative to the wales 224 intermediate the knitted fabric loops. The loops of the modification shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are formed by providing a series of short courses such as courses x-l-l to x+20 between regular courses such as courses x and x+21 of the stocking with these additional short courses creating the knitted fabric loop. As shown, the short courses x+1 to x+20 in wales 222 are formed of conventional jersey stitch loops 234.

Course x+21 joins course x+20 of wales 222 with course x+22 while the same course joins course x with course x+22 in the wales 224 that are located intermediate the loops 218. Since the loops or drawstitches 232 of course x+21 pull courses x+22 and or together (the elongation of the stitch loops or drawstitches 232 in FIG. 7 being exaggerated in the same manner as stitch loops 34 in FIG. 3 for the purposes of illustration), the loop 218 formed by stitch loops 234 is raised relative to the rest of the fabric.

- As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the loop 218 provided by the additional short courses can be located in any position on the hose.

The additional short courses of wales 222 are formed with a floating, knitting and trimming or clipping sequence wherein the yarn to form the short courses is laid in, for example in the case of a 400 needle machine, on eight groups of 10 needles for a selected number of courses with the yarn being knit on the eight groups of needles which form wales 222 while the yarn is floated behind the intervening eight groups of 40 needles, which are pulled down to sinker level and kept there for the selected number of courses. The intervening eight groups of 40 needles form wales 224 thereby providing a welt having eight integral knitted fabric loops formed in wales 222 with the loops being 10 wales in width and a selected number of courses in length. The yarn floated behind the eight intervening groups of 40 needles, which form wales 224, is then clipped (by conventional means) leaving the structure shown in FIG. 7 on a single thickness fabric. As the yarn used in knitting the hose is crimped, multi-filament yarn having high crimp and bulk, it is locked in place frictionally and will not unravel even after the floated portions of the yarn in courses x+l to x+20 are clipped away.

As with FIGS. 3, 6 and 9, FIG. 7 is exemplary and although the width of the loop is shown to be only 6- wales, the width of the loop can be varied as indicated 'by the example above wherein the width of the loop is 10 wales. In addition, while the illustrated loop 218 is 20 courses in length, it is to be understood that the length of the loop can be any number of courses desired with loops 10 wales in width usually being 16 to 20 courses in length.

In a further modification of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the procedure for forming fabric loops which lie flat against the fabric comprises a combination of the procedure for forming the loops set forth in FIGS. 7, 8 and FIGS. 3, 5. As diagrammatically shown in FIG. 9, the courses y, y+21 and y+22 are knitted in jersey stitch all the way across. The beginning or lower set of courses y+1 to y+6 are knitted in the same manner as the courses which form the loop illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 with the wales 322 being formed with a conventional jersey stitch for these courses while the yarn is floated across wales 324 and drawn together by lower transition drawstitches as shown in FIG. 9. Intermediate courses y+7 to y+14 are knitted in the same way as the courses which form the loop illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 with the wales 324 being formed in a conventional jersey stitch for these courses while the yarn is floated across wales 322 and with the bridge of loop 18 being completed thereover by a central or main drawstitch as shown in FIG. 9 and previously explained. The ending or upper set of courses y+15 to y+20 are then knitted in the same manner that the courses are knitted when forming the loop of FIGS. 7 and 8 with the wales 322 being formed with a conventional jersey stitch and the yarn being floated across wales 324 and drawn together by upper transition drawstitches as shown in FIG. 9. Thus, the knit courses y+1 to y+6 in wales 322 provide a beginning transition bridge portion of longer length fabric just like the knit courses y+15 to y+20 in wales 322 provide an ending transition bridge portion. The main body of the bridge is then formed by a central or main drawstitch which joins the two transition bridge portions with a central shorter bridge portion over floats in course y+7 to y+14 as shown in FIG. 9.

While FIG. 9 shows the floated portions of courses y+1 to y+6 and y+ to y+, as in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the floated portions of the courses are clipped after the courses have been formed. As the yarn used in knitting is crimped or texturized, multi-filament yarn having a high crimp and bulk, the yarn is frictionally locked in place and will not unravel after it has been clipped. In addition, it should be noted that certain portions of courses y+1 to y+6 and y+15 to y+22 are shown lengthened intermediate wales 322 and 324 to permit two-dimensional illustration of the loop.

To form the fabric loop of FIGS. 9 and 10, a selected number of courses (e.g. 4 to 6 courses) are knitted according to the procedure set forth in connection with FIGS. 7 and 8 by pulling down a selected group of needles to sinker level in wales 324 for the selected number of courses. While in FIG. 9, the loop formed is shown to be only 4 wales wide, the width of the loops can be varied as desired with loops having widths of 8 to 10 wales being common. During the courses when the needles in wales 324 are pulled down to the sinker level, the needle hooks of these needles do not take yarn, but the yarn is floated behind these pulled down needles. While the needles of wales 324 are pulled down to the sinker level, the needles forming wales 322 continue to knit in a regular fashion thereby lengthening the fabric of wales 322 relative to the fabric of wales 324. The floated yarn is then clipped away to provide the small holes shown in FIG. 10. The procedure is then reversed for a selected number of courses (e.g. 6 to 10 courses) wherein the intervening needles which form wales 322 are pulled down to sinker level, kept there so that the needle hooks of this group do not take yarn and the yarn is floated behind this intervening group of pulled down needles. For this selected number of courses, the needles which were originally pulled down to sinker level are placed back in action and knit in regular fashion in wales 324. The pattern mechanism of the machine then reverts to the initial procedure with the needles which form wales 324 being taken out of action and the needles which form wales 322 being placed back in action. This alternation between the procedures set forth in connection with FIGS. '7-8, 3-5 and 78 can be repeated until a loop of even longer length is formed. of course, as illustrated in FIG. 10, where the fabric loop formed in wales 322 is longer than the adjacent fabric, by utilizing either the procedure of FIG. 3 or FIG. 8 to a greater extent, a fabric loop can be formed which is shorter or longer than the adjacent fabric of wales 324 or by utilizing the procedures of FIGS. 3 and 8 for the same number of courses a loop can be formed which is the same length as the adjacent fabric in wales 324.

The procedure for the embodiment of FIGS. 9-10, using various combinations of the procedures for FIGS. 35 and 78, can of course be used to produce a fabric loop long enough to resemble a garter strap. This can be done more expeditiously, however, according to the procedure illustrated in FIG. 11, which represents still another modification of the present invention. In FIG. 11, the procedure for forming the fabric loops is a variation of the procedure set forth in the discussion of FIGS. 7 and 8. As in the modification shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the loop is formed by providing a series of short courses (courses z+1 to z+2l) between regular courses (z and z+22) of the stocking, :with these additional short courses creating the knitted fabric loop.

Courses 2, 2+1 and z+22 are regular jersey courses in the welt. Course z+1 has loops of equal length in actual practice, but stitch loops 432 and 434' are shown lengthened relative to loops 434 in the drawing to permit two-dimensional illustration of the knitted fabric loop 418.

The short courses 1+2 to z+21 in wales 422 are formed with a conventional jersey stitch, while the courses are omitted for wales 422' and 424 with the yarn being floated intermediate wales 422 for courses 2+2 to z+21. The stitch loops 434 of course 2+1 join course 2 in wales 422 with course z+22, while the stitch loops or alternate drawstitches 434' of course z+1 join course z with course Z+22 in the :wales 422 and stitch loops 432 join course z with course z+22 in wales 424 that are located adjacent the loops 418. Since the loops 432, 434 of course z+1 pull courses z+22 and z together in wales 424, 422' (the elongation of stitch loops 432, 434' in FIG. 11 being exaggerated for the purposes of illustration), the loop 418 formed by stitch loops 434 of wales 422 is raised relative to the rest of the fabric. Furthermore, since courses z and z+22 are pulled together by loops 434, there is no hole formed in the base fabric of the stocking after the floated portions of the yarn for courses z-I-2 to z+21 in wales 424 have been trimmed away. The floated portions of the yarn in wales 424 for courses 1+2 to z+21 are shown in FIG. 11 for the purposes of illustrating the manner in. which the successive courses of the fabric are formed intermediate conventional courses 2+1 and z+22. However, as indicated above, these portions of the yarn are trimmed so that there are no floated threads across the base fabric.

The additional short courses of *wales 422, 422' are formed with a floating, knitting and trimming or clipping sequence wherein as with the other embodiments, a conventional single or multifeed knitting machine is preferably utilized. Stockings can be produced with a single thickness welt or with a very short welt turn with the loop being formed in what is normally called the shadow welt.

In forming the loop, the knitting is commenced as in the production of a regular stocking. Then, for example, with a 400 needle machine, yarn to form the short courses is laid in only on alternate needles of, for example, 8 groups of 11 needles for a selected number of courses with the yarn being knit on the alternate needles which form wales 422, while yarn is floated behind the intervening needles of these groups which form wales 422' and the intervening 8 groups of 39 needles which form wales 424. The intervening needles which form wales 422 and 424 do not knit again until the desired length of fabric loop 418 has been formed, for example, by keeping them pulled down to sinker level and floating the yarn of courses 1+2 to z+21 behind them, thereby providing a welt having 8 integral knitted loops formed in wales 422 with the loops being 11 wales in width (the width can be varied as desired) and a selected number of courses in length. The yarn floated behind the 8 groups of 39 needles which form wales 424 is then clipped by conventional means leaving a raised fabric loop 418. In this embodiment, no hole through the base fabric is formed since courses z and z+22 for wales 424 and 422' are pulled together by course z+l when all of the needles are again placed back in action and knit in regular fashion. As the yarn used in knitting the stockings is crimped or texturized, multi-filament yarn having high crimp and bulk, it is locked in place frictionally and will not unravel even after the floated portions in wales 424 for the selected number of courses are clipped away.

FIG. 4 illustrates a stocking of the present invention WhlCh is attached by hooks 40 to a parity or girdle garrnent 42. The hooks 40 are preferably of small and thin dimensions and when used with stocking 10 eliminate bulky fastening means as well as providing a means for easily attaching and detaching a stocking 10 from a sup port garment 42. As can be seen, the hooks 40 readily pass through vertically-extending apertures 44-, 46 formed between the side edges of loops 18 and the adjacent sections of the welt.

It should be noted that although the welt is preferably made with double thickness fabric, as shown in FIG. 4,

the welt of the goods can be made with single thickness fabric. It should also be stressed that the integral knitted fabric loops can be formed in other portions of a hose and are not restricted to use in the welt. in addition, although the knitted fabric loops have been shown on the outside of the welt, they can also be located on the inside of the welt if desired.

Furthermore, in a preferred form of the invention, 6-8 fabric loops 18 are placed at the same level around the periphery of a very narrow welt 12. With highly stretchable hosiery made of Cantrece II (a trademark of the Du Pont Company) yarn, it has been found satisfactory to provide only one set (i.e., a set of four, siX, or eight etc., and preferably six) of fabric loops located at the same level around a narrow welt approximately one inch to 1 /2 inches in height. The stretch of the garment made with Cantrece makes it easy to adjust the garment to the desired fastening height by pulling the garment to the desired height without the necessity of providing fabric loops at different level on the welt. A desirable aesthetic effect may be achieved in this modification by using a precolored yarn or a yarn (conveniently called the locater yarn or locater stripe) of different dye takeup from the Cantrece of the remainder of the stocking, for example yarn of polypropylene, polyester, cotton or the like, in one to several courses (i.e. two, four or eight courses with the color eifect yarn knit in consecutive or alternating courses) around the welt at the fabric loop height to assist the wearer in locating the area of the hose where fabric loops are located. Typically, such yarn would appear as a darker shade, lighter shade or differently colored line having the appearance of passing beneath each fabric loop so as to make the fabric loops stand out and easier to locate.

It will be appreciated that there are many ways to form knitted fabric loops, most of which consist of combinations of floating and trimming or of floating and not trimming. Tucking procedures may also be used. Furthermore, although Cantrece II (a trademark of the Du Pont Company) yarn is one type of yarn that can be utilized to form the stockings of the presentinvention, other yarns having a high crimp and bulk can be used too.

Although preferred forms of the invention have been shown and described in a series of modifications, it is to be understood that all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention. Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art as more experience is gained with this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Hosiery having at least one integrally knitted fabric loop incorporated therein for receiving a hosiery fastening means, said hosiery comprising:

a first set of wales in a plurality of courses along which said knitted fabric loop is located,

a second set of wales in said plurality of courses comprising a plurality of adjacent wales on each side of said first set of wales,

a plurality of main drawstitches in one of said sets of wales,

said main drawstitches being drawn together over a plurality of floats in said one set of wales thereby causing a difference in the lengths of knitted fabric along said first and second sets of wales in the region of said loop for defining a bridge of different length fabric in said first set of wales, which bridge comprises said integrally knitted loop, and

a plurality of shorter secondary drawstitches in said one set of wales immediately above and below said main drawstitches, said secondary drawstitches helping to distribute the stress caused by the drawn condition of said main drawstitches.

2. Hosiery as in claim 1 wherein said one set of wales 10 is said first set of wales and wherein said bridge is of shorter length fabric in said first set of wales.

3. Hosiery having at least one integrally knitted fabric loop incorporated therein for receiving a hosiery fastening means, said hosiery comprising:

a first set of wales in a plurality of courses along which said knitted fabric loop is located,

a second set of wales in said plurality of courses comprising a plurality of adjacent wales on each side of said first set of wales,

a plurality of drawstitches in said second set of wales,

said drawstitches beingdrawn together over a plurality of floats in said second set of wales thereby causing a difference in the lengths of knitted fabric along said first and second sets of wales in the region of said loop for defining a bridge of longer length fabric in said first set of wales, which bridge comprises said integrally knitted loop, and wherein said floats are clipped on each side of said bridge thereby permitting the entry of said fastening means into said loop in said first set of wales.

4. Hosiery having at least one integrally knitted fabric loop incorporated therein for receiving a hosiery fastening means, said hosiery comprising:

a first set of wales in a plurality of courses along which said knitted fabric loop is located,

a second set of wales in said plurality of courses comprising a plurality of adjacent wales on each side of said first set of wales,

a plurality of main drawstitches in said first set of wales,

said main drawstitches being drawn together over a plurality of floats in said first set of wales thereby causing a difference in the lengths of knitted fabric along said first and second sets of Wales in the region of said loop for defining a bridge of shorter length fabric in said first set of wales, which bridge comprises said integrally knitted loop,

a plurality of upper transition drawstitches in said second set of wales drawn over floats in an upper set of courses immediately above said main drawstitches, and

a plurality of lower transition drawstitches in said second set of Wales drawn over floats in a lower set of courses immediately below said main drawstitches,

the portions of said upper and lower sets of courses within said first set of wales being knit in the normal fashion to provide transition bridge portions of longer length fabric both before and after said bridge of shorter length fabric.

5. Hosiery having at least one integrally knitted fabric p incorporated therein for receiving a hosiery fastening means, said hosiery comprising:

a first set of wales in a plurality of courses along which said knitted fabric loop is located,

a second set of wales in said plurality of courses comprising a plurality of adjacent Wales on each side of said first set of wales,

a plurality of drawstitches in one of said sets of wales,

said drawstitches being drawn together over a plurality of floats in said one set of Wales thereby causing a difference in the lengths of knitted fabric along said first and second sets of wales in the region of said loop for defining a bridge of different length fabric in said first set of wales, which bridge comprises said integrally knitted loop, and

a plurality of alternate drawstitches in alternate nonadjacent wales of the other one of said sets of wales.

6. Hosiery as in claim 5 wherein said one set of wales is said second set of wales and said other set of wales is said first set of wales.

(References on following page) 11 12 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 187,913 8/ 1906 Germany 66172 288,230 2/1916 Germany 66-173 11/1922 Wlechmann 687,308 1/1940 Germany 2 240 3/1942 Fregeolle et a1. 66172(E) 5 12/1942 Smith, Jr. 66172 (E) OTHER REFERENCES 5 1944 Mon-is et 1 17 German printed application No. 1,025,804, Franke, 2/1959 Davis, Jr. et a1. 66172 h 9/ 1969 Rosner 2240 10 WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner 1/1970 sa frit et a1. 66173 US XJR 3/ 1970 Mllner 2240 5-190; 12 3.535 

